Tsonga crashes out of US Open

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga became the biggest casualty of this year’s US Open so far following a shock 64 16 61 63 defeat at the hands of Slovakian Martin Klizan.

Klizan, ranked No. 52 in the world, took his chances against an out-of-sorts Tsonga, earning 19 break points and converting 7 of them, to claim the biggest win of his tennis career.

The French No. 1 made 36 unforced errors and only hit 4 aces in the match. Tsonga hit the most aces on the tour in 2011 with an astonishing 825 in his 79 matches, finishing 14 ahead of John Isner, but he was not able to find his range against the Slovakian.

There were no such issues for Roger Federer however, as the world No. 1 eased past Bjorn Phau 62 63 62. Federer was on top form hitting 15 aces and 44 winners in a match that lasted an hour and a half.

Federer goes on to face Fernando Verdasco in the next round after he came through a very close match against fellow Spaniard Albert Ramos 76(4) 57 76(5) 64.

Mardy Fish gave the home fans something to cheer as the American came from two sets behind to beat the experienced Nikolay Davydenko 46 67(4) 62 61 62. Fish set a new US Open record as he became the tenth player at this year's championships to win from two sets down.

In the women’s draw, second seed Agnieszka Radwanska had to fight back from a set behind to beat Carla Suarez Navarro 46 63 60. Radwanska will now face Jelena Jankovic in the second round as the Serb beat Lara Arruabarrena-Vecino 64 62.

There were mixed emotions for the Williams sisters as Serena progressed against Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez 62 64, but Venus could not overcome the sixth seed Angelique Kerber with the German eventually running out the 62 57 75 winner.

Neither sister was at her best; Serena hit 24 unforced errors while Venus made 60, as well as hitting 16 double faults, but Venus was within two points of victory before dropping five of the last six games. Serena’s victory was more comfortable despite her drop in form and she went on to complete her 60th victory at Flushing Meadows.

19-year-old American Sloane Stephens reached the third round for the second successive year as she beat Tatjana Malek of Germany 57 64 64. Stephens, the youngest player in the Top 50, is America’s brightest young talent and she is living up to that so far.

She does, however, face a very tough match in the next round against former world No. 1 Ana Ivanovic who easily overcame Sofia Arvidsson 62 62.

There were also wins for Maria Kirilenko, who beat Greta Arn 63 62 to set up a meeting with Andrea Hlavackova, as well as tenth seed Sara Errani, Roberta Vinci and Dominika Cibulkova.

In the men’s draw there were victories for veteran James Blake and young Canadian Milos Raonic, who will now play each other in the third round, as well as Tomas Berdych and Marin Cilic. American teenager Jack Sock also continued his good US Open form as he beat Flavio Cipolla 62 62 64 and will be looking to cause an upset when he takes on Nicolas Almagro who overcame Philipp Petzschner 63 57 57 64 64.

And finally, if Kim Clijsters is to win a title in her final US Open, it will have to be in the mixed doubles after she and her doubles partner Kirsten Flipkens lost 63 64 to Chuang Chia-jung and Zhang Shuai in the first round of the women’s doubles.